“Both of them were extremely pumped up,” Andrews said. “They pushed the pace and wrestled their match all weekend long.

“We told them at the start that if they did wrestle like that, nobody would be able to touch them.”

West Craven is sending four wrestlers to the state championship.

Sophomore Dalton Hill, who didn’t give up a point in the two-day regional, won at 170 pounds. He crushed Nash Central’s Steven Joyner with a 15-0 tech. fall victory.

“He is a very good wrestler, he is a natural,” West Craven coach John Honbarrier said. “He wrestles more experienced than what his age is. He is very composed and I think that helps his wrestling.

“He really had a good tournament.”

Havelock’s Javar Godette, at 152 pounds, lost to Rocky Mount’s Joseph Cooper in the championship finals, earning him second-place honors.

“Javar put out a great effort. His main goal was to qualify for states and he succeeded. We will see how far he goes next weekend,” Andrews said.

Ramone Lawson, the Rams’ 145-pounder, made it to the consolation finals before losing and placing fourth in the tournament.

The top four seeds in each weight class earned a bid to the state championships, which begins on Thursday.

“Ramone did great. He was disappointed in his finish but that’s what we want to see from him. He is still going,” Andrews said.

All of Havelock’s wrestlers won at least one match. The Rams, as a team, finished third with 80 points. West Craven was ninth with 55 points.

For West Craven, freshman Daniel Adams placed third in the 126-pound weight class after pinning his opponent in the consolation finals. Cody Cooke (138) and Robert Baker (145) both finished fourth.

“That’s the most we’ve qualified for states in years so we are very pleased,” Honbarrier said. “We had some good wrestling and I was really impressed with the kids. I’m proud they rose to the occasion.”

New Bern’s Jones wins at 195

DeAndre Jones, last season’s state runner-up at 182 pounds, is returning to the state championship.

Jones beat Wilmington Laney’s Brian Capps, 11-5, in the championship finals of the 195-pound weight class at Sunday’s 4-A East Regional at Jack Britt High School.

The Bears’ senior, ranked first in the state, remained undefeated with a 28-0 record.

“He was scoring from every position. In a way, I think he has a little chip on his shoulder from last year, and that’s what has motivated him,” said New Bern coach Jamie Yezarski. “No one has scored an offensive point on him this season.”

New Bern senior Drew Thome earned his first state championship berth. At 220 pounds, he lost to Overhill’s Jermaine Ansley in the consolation finals, putting him fourth in the region.

“It’s a great way for him to end his senior year. That’s how you want to see kids finish their senior year, by being one of the top 16 in the state.”

Jones and Thome will start their 4-A state championship run Thursday evening in Greensboro.

Five Hurricanes heading to state championships

Connor Hough and Clay Conley grappled to the very last second. Pamlico’s wrestlers won by a point in the consolation finals on Sunday afternoon at the 1-A East Regionals at Rosewood High School.

The Hurricanes are sending five wrestlers to next week’s state tournament in Greensboro. The top four from each weight class at the regional meet qualified for the coveted state championships which will start on Friday.

None of them are seniors.

“I was thinking about getting six in, and we had six chances going into (Sunday), and one was one point away from getting in,” Pamlico coach Kevin Knox said. “Five is great, especially with a really young team.”

Hough, a junior at 170 pounds, beat out Chatham Central’s Graham Jones in his final match, 3-2. Conley, a sophomore at 182 pounds, edged Chatham Central’s Luis Puente, 11-10, in the third-place match.

“Chatham Central won the whole thing, and they are really good,” Knox said. “Being out (of school) all week because of the snow, our conditioning was not there.

“They knew they had to dig down deep. They are two of the leaders in the practice room so they knew what they had to do.”

Sophomore Marlon MacIntyre cruised through the 126-pound weight class before losing to Chatham Central’s James Daggett, 12-2, in the championship finals. At 145 pounds, sophomore Jorge Valadez reached the championship finals, but finished second after falling to East Montgomery’s Antonio Hill.

“Those guys combined for 12 wins last year. They totally turned their season around from a year ago,” Knox said. “They are practice partners and they reflect each other.

“They hung in there and wrestled hard and had a great tournament.”

Freshman Jonah Andrews earned a bid for state with a fourth-place finish. He lost to South Davidson’s Caleb McClure in the consolation finals in the 120-pound weight class.

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